Bloodstained Leaf
by ChibiCamni
Summary: Naruko Uzumaki strives to rid Leaf Town of the Serial Killer with the Mafia and its adherents as a Vigilante, but things complicate when she discovers that the Mafia aren't the only ones with dark secrets to hide - and that she's become a prime target for what she thought were just instincts.
1. Promise

**April** **13** **th**

 _Tonight's moon-phase: new moon_

Daylight used to be the only warmth Naruko could relish in, but all she could feel now was dread's cold hand clenching her heart as it seeped through her bedroom window. The bedraggled blonde climbed out of bed and dragged her feet to her closet, where she tugged off her gown and pulled on a change of clothes - a pair of khaki trousers and a white, button-up blouse. After grabbing a holster for her pistol and combing her hair, she slipped on a pair of shoes and hastened out the front door. It wasn't until she left that she realized the house was more silent than usual. _He's probably there already,_ she assured herself when her heart leaped with panic. Her home, a two-bedroom house that was as cluttered as it was small, housed both herself and Jiraiya. _Jiraiya._ The mere name brought a smile to her face. He was an old, perverted Investigator that spent more time with women than with investigations. He was also the closest thing to a father she ever had, and she didn't know what she'd do with herself if she lost him.

She shook her head to clear her thoughts. The streets were desolate, but that was to be expected. Today was the official start of the Leaf Trials, and those without Roles weren't allowed outside until noon. By then the discussions would be over, and life would continue. It wouldn't be normal, though. Not until the Mafia was decimated. Even then, would things be normal? How could her life return to normal when it was abnormal to begin with?

Reeled from her thoughts by a distant chattering, she quickened her pace down the street. The trials would take place at the center of town - where the dead bodies were always found. It was ominous how the Serial Killers and Mafia would dump their victims in the same spot, but she didn't dwell on it. She needed to focus.

It was just minutes before she reached the center of town, where a crowd of people were huddled around what she assumed was another victim. _Or two,_ she added with remorse as she jostled through the crowd toward the center. People chatted amongst themselves, but she couldn't comprehend most of their conversations. At the center, she saw an elderly man dressed in white robes crouched beside what looked like a woman. The foul stench of death was so thick it was almost tangible, and it made Naruko sick to her stomach. Stepping aside, she saw the gash that traveled from the woman's right shoulder to her left hip. The crime must have happened just before dawn, because the blood pooling around the dead body was still fresh, and it reeked. She didn't dare look at the woman's face. She knew she wouldn't be able to stomach it, yet she found her eyes glued to her ghastly pale features. Blood dribbled from the corners of her blue-tinted lips, still parted from when she took her last breath. Her eyes were rolled back, and she didn't miss the bruise on her left cheek. She must have put up a fight.

Her stomach twisted the longer she stared, but she couldn't bring herself to look away. Even though she's seen several dead bodies before, she just couldn't adjust to the foul stench of death and the look of pure, unadulterated horror that all the victims had. The images haunted her, frustrated her and left her filled with dejection. In the end, she had to force her attention onto the man beside the deceased woman.

"Old man Sarutobi," she grabbed the elder's attention. Recognition flashed across the man's wrinkled features as he turned to face her.

" _Hiruzen_ Sarutobi," he corrected with worn exasperation.

Naruko chose to ignore Hiruzen's words and instead focus on the cigar in his mouth, which she had noticed the instant he turned around. _He's gonna die from lung cancer before the Mafia can even hope touch him,_ she snickered as she crouched in front of him. "You shouldn't smoke so much, y'know."

He seemed more annoyed after she said that.

"What do you want to know, Naruko?"

She sighed and climbed to her feet. _So much for that._ "Did she have a Role?" She asked, all the humor from her tone gone. "Did the Mafia kill her?"

"You'll find out soon, Naruko. I'm about to make the announcement." Hiruzen replied, turning his back to her as he stood. She stepped back, watching as he adjusted his robes, stained crimson from where he was kneeling, and faced the crowd.

As the Mayor, he was required to announce the victim's Role and cause of death - as well as to read any wills or deathnotes left behind. Discussions and voting would take place afterward for about four hours, and during this everyone would have to follow the golden rule:

 _Unless it is to save your life, do not reveal your Role or **any** personal information._

Well, that is if your Role hadn't been revealed before the trial's initiation.

Naruko didn't understand why until Jiraiya had explained it to her, five days after the declaration of the Leaf Trials. It was for protection, he'd told her. Before the Leaf Trials, anyone could tell anyone anything. This caused the Mafia and the Serial Killer to target those with important Roles since the information was leaked so easily, and as the amount of those with Roles declined, the deaths increased and less criminals were being found. At anytime, anybody was able to leave or enter the town, which caused several criminals to escape. Soon enough, the Mayor had no other choice but to enforce the Leaf Trials.

Leaf Trials or not, she planned to drive out the Mafia and the Serial Killer. Every last one of them. She wouldn't let them win, not in a million years.

"Your attention, please!" Hiruzen's voice pulled her from her thoughts. Everything fell silent within seconds. "There wasn't a will or deathnote left behind, and the victim doesn't seem to have a Role. She was killed by a Serial Killer."

There was an interminable pause after he spoke, before everyone around her spoke all at once.

"Do you think the Mafia's idle?"

"Why would they be idle, dumbass? Their target probably just got lucky and was healed by a Doctor."

"Doctors aren't that lucky. I bet an Escort distracted the Mafioso."

As Hiruzen walked toward her, she tuned out the voices around her. "Does anybody have any leads?" She asked with a perfervid eagerness, before he could even blink. "I know it's the first day, but... Somebody's gotta have something, right?"

He didn't have to speak. His brown eyes, cold and filled with guilt, screamed the answer.

"No one has a lead... Even after all this time?"

"Naruko, I know you're upset. You have to understand-"

Vexation flared in her chest. "Understand what? That the TI are all talk and no bite?" Just as all TI looked down on her, she looked down on them, too. These deaths have been commonplace since she was born, and she's eighteen now. They've had eighteen years to get their shit together and find at least the slightest lead. None of the Mafia have been found. Not even a Serial Killer. There was also the chance that whoever had a lead was too much of a coward to speak, and she supposed she could understand. After all, while the town lynched anyone who threatened them, the Mafia and Serial Killers would terminate anyone who was a threat to them.

Still. They signed up for it. "People have been dying every damn day, and the people who agreed to put their life on the line to protect the people of this town have been too afraid to do shit. That's what I understand, old man."

Hiruzen opened his mouth to speak, but a new voice broke the tense silence between them.

"You two sure know how to attract attention."

Naruko whipped around. She came face to face with a man about two heads taller than her, with silver hair that glistened in the sunlight. He had one visible onyx eye - the other was covered by the large top hat he wore, tilted at just the right angle, and he wore a surgical mask that obscured the view of his mouth. As her eyes roved his masculine form, she saw he was dressed in a simple pair of black trousers, a white shirt and a tailored vest.

"Kakashi Hatake, it's been a while."

"Ah, yes. It's been quite a while, Hiruzen." The man, Kakashi, spoke with an air of nonchalance. As he stared at the corpse beside Hiruzen, no emotion flickered across his face. He didn't seem to care. Either that, or he was used to it. She didn't think it was possible to adjust to death, but she supposed it wasn't like that for everyone.

"Naruko?"

Kakashi became the immediate target of two full cerulean eyes. Their eyes met, and she swore she saw recognition flash across his features, but it was gone so soon it was like she imagined it. She would have been suspicious, but she felt a strange sense of relief around Kakashi. It was like she knew he was innocent - as if she could feel his innocence, even though the man was a complete stranger to her. It must be because he was familiar with Hiruzen. After all, her bond with him was just as tight as it was with Jiraiya.

"Earth to Naruko," a gloved hand waved in front of her face. "Are you there?"

Snapped from her reverie, she pushed Kakashi's hand aside to raise an eyebrow at him. "Uh, what's up, grandpa?" She heard a sigh from Hiruzen beside them.

"Grandpa? Really? I'm not even that old." Kakashi snorted, and she could hear the slightest trace of irritation in his voice despite his look of indifference. He turned his back to her, and for a moment she thought she'd driven him to leave. If he left, would she never see him again? She was surprised to find that part of her didn't want that to happen, and just as surprised to see that Kakashi's hand motioned her toward him behind his back. He wanted her to follow him? She stared at the hand in contemplation.

"I'll let that insult slide this time. Now, before I change my mind, follow me."

She looked at Hiruzen, but he was gone. Kakashi had started to walk off.

Could she trust him?

Just as Kakashi disappeared into the crowd, she darted after him, leaving her thoughts.

* * *

"Why did you want to talk to me?"

Kakashi remained silent, and Naruko couldn't help the slightest bit of apprehension that swelled in her chest. He'd been silent the entire time, and the vociferous voices of the crowd were now a distance buzz that she strained to hear. It was obvious that he wanted to distance himself from them as much as possible, but she couldn't pinpoint why - _why_ he wanted to talk to her, and _what_ was so important about it.

Anybody would think this was suspicious, and anyone with a brain probably wouldn't have followed him. After all, she'd just met him. Not to mention, his connection with Hiruzen shouldn't be what determined his innocence. She trusted Hiruzen with her life, but even the Mayor could be betrayed. Not that his connection was what convinced her to follow him. She just had a hunch. Something deep within her told her that she should follow him, that she'd regret it if she didn't, and she relied more on her intuition than anything else.

Kakashi came to an abrupt halt. She cleared her thoughts, stopping only after she took a few steps ahead of him. Two middle-aged men came into view.

"Look, I know you're worried about the Serial Killer - everyone is. Town's trying their best to find him, but it's not easy." Said the one on the right, who stood tall in a green tweed vest and a matching pair of slacks, the sleeves of his pristine shirt rolled back to his elbows. With the mass of pure, unkempt white hair that fell to his waist, she couldn't help but think of Jiraiya. He turned just enough for her to see his face, and the red, vertical line on each cheek confirmed that it was him - but why was he all the way out here? Shouldn't he be at the center of town with everybody else, taking part in discussions?

Then again, was she one to ask?

"You don't understand!" The other snapped, and his irate voice reverberated down the desolate street behind them. "There isn't just one Serial Killer, there's two, you numbskull! And if this one isn't taken care of, then I'm as good as dead!"

 _Two Serial Killers?_ Naruko shot Kakashi a quizzical look, but he didn't respond. He simply stared, and she decided she couldn't take it any longer. Taking matters into her own hands, she stepped forward. _If you're not gonna ask them, then I will._

And that's exactly what she planned to do.

"What's goin' on here?" She asked, loud enough for both of them to hear. "How can there be two Serial Killers?"

The shorter man of the two turned to face her. His jaw was set, his silver hair just as tousled and spiked as the other's, but he had a beard and a pair of glasses that rested on the bridge of his nose. Staring into his eyes, she saw the cold determination within them - and the fear. _He was afraid._ She clenched her fists in resolve.

"Heh, another dumbass." He scoffed and pulled a pouch of from his bag, lifting it to his lips and greedily drinking it. When he exhaled, she could _smell_ the alcohol. It was nauseating. "Listen here, girly. Before your silly little trials started, anybody could come in here and leave whenever they wanted. Long story short, a Serial Killer hired by the Godfather of the Mafia in my town followed me here when I left my home for supplies, and now we're both stuck in this town until these damned trials are over." He laughed coldly afterward, taking another swig of whatever alcohol the pouch contained. Probably whiskey. "I guess it doesn't matter, 'cause I'm gonna die either way."

If not for her strong sense of justice, her resolve would have crumbled beneath her feet. Then, this old drunkard would have another problem on his hands.

"Listen here, you drunken bastard." She barked, her voice just as bitter as the look in her eyes. "It's not our fault that you came at a bad time. Besides, these trials are to make sure that people like _you_ aren't the ones found dead at the center of town! You ought to show us a little more respect, y'know!"

"Besides," Kakashi stepped forward, and Naruko looked just as surprised as the others as he chimed in, too used to his silent demeanor. "The other towns were warned about the Leaf Trials before the Mayor even warned us about them. It's your fault that you're trapped here."

Dead silence fell over them, and she couldn't help but squirm in the tense atmosphere. Even though both herself and Kakashi had proved a point, she felt bad for the old man. Her guilt worsened when he shuffled back, his head hung low in defeat.

"So, you won't help me?" He asked, his words a knife to Naruko's heart.

"No," she said before she could even think, "I'll help you." She didn't like him, not one bit. He was ungrateful and he was, well, drunk, but he also needed help. Her help. Town's help. She felt the weight of a promise roll onto her shoulders as she stepped forward, her resolve solid.

"I'll stop the Serial Killer. I promise I will."


	2. The Sheriff's Offer

While Kakashi and Jiraiya looked incredulous, the old man seemed skeptical. His head was tilted backward, his eyes dark with some unfathomable emotion as he peered down at Naruko. _Down._ Did he not believe that she was capable of this endeavor? Was the entirety of his faith already placed in the hands of the TI? Did she even stand a chance? She pushed those questions aside and she stuck her chin up, standing taller. Sure, she wasn't as shrewd and meticulous as an Investigator or Sheriff, and she wasn't as silent and secretive as a Lookout or Spy, but she knew she could help. After all, her determination was a brilliant flame that would never die - and she wasn't sure if she could say the same for everybody else.

 _So don't underestimate me, old man._

She's received that cold, iffy stare more than enough.

With blatant surprise, she watched his lips stretch into a smirk as challenge sparked in his eyes. She wondered for a moment if what she thought had been said aloud unbeknownst to her, but that didn't seem to be the case. Not as he stepped forward and regarded her with a look akin to respect.

Respect. _That was new._

"Tazuna," he stated, his voice gruff, low in his throat. "And you?"

She blankly stared at him, left shocked by the sudden action. She found herself capable of just a strange croak that sounded at the back of her throat as she lost her voice.

He raised an eyebrow. "Are you gonna tell me your name, kid? Or am I just gonna hafta come up with one?" He seemed slightly agitated when he spoke this time, and it was enough to reel her from her thoughts. She stood upright, her lips curled into a confident smirk.

"You can call me Naruko Uzumaki! Your name's Tazuna, old man?"

Tazuna nodded, and she was met with a faint smirk. "If you're really gonna help me, we ought to at least know each other's names." He said as he turned his back to her. "See ya 'round, kid."

"Hey - I'm not a kid, old man!" She protested, but her words fell on deaf ears when Tazuna left without another word. She watched, in a daze, as he disappeared around a corner. _Tazuna, huh?_ Her fists clenched in firm resolve. _I'll definitely find the Serial Killer for you._ Not just to prove herself, but for him. She couldn't bear the thought of the Serial Killer's success in Tazuna's assassination. It would be yet another corpse, skin sickly pale and clammy, eyes somber and lifeless. It would be yet another painful goodbye-

This time, it was Jiraiya who spoke and saved her from her thoughts. "You shouldn't go around and make decisions on your own like that, Naruko."

"Well, it didn't look like you were gonna help him out." She snorted. "You don't need to worry about me anymore. I'm not a kid, ya know."

Jiraiya simply shook his head, and she watched as he kneaded his temples with his thumbs. "I know you're not a kid, Naruko - it's… It's not about that." The concern swimming in pools of brown was all released in one heavy, long sigh, but something other than concern - something she couldn't clearly depict - remained in his eyes as he returned his attention to her. She shuddered. "You can't do this alone, Naruko. Finding a Serial Killer alone is one of the most dangerous things someone can do. Not to mention, you know that whenever somebody accuses another person, they _have_ to provide their Role for credibility. That means-"

"Yeah, yeah. I know…" She admitted sheepishly, her gaze falling to her feet. If someone revealed their Role, depending on its importance, surviving the night would be far-fetched.

As if sensing the disappointment on her face, Jiraiya stepped forward and placed a hand on her shoulder reassuringly. His hand was warm, but she didn't feel comforted at all. As much as she hated to admit it, she needed help. She needed an Investigator - maybe a Sheriff - brave enough to put their life on the line to collect information _and_ reveal their information to everyone.

Jiraiya's next words mirrored her own thoughts. "The trials have just started, Naruko. I doubt anybody would reveal their role so early-"

"That's where you're wrong, Jiraiya." Kakashi suddenly spoke, and Naruko was so startled she nearly jumped three feet in the air. He'd been so quiet she almost forgot he existed, and by the baffled look on Jiraiya's face it was the same for him.

Kakashi's brow raised. "Did I startle you?" He chuckled, and bent forward slightly as he adjusted his hat to cover even more of his face. It was blatantly obvious the question was rhetorical, as he continued to speak while he sauntered toward them. "Anyways… Naruko, I called you out here for a reason."

"I would've never guessed." She snickered sarcastically, earning a sharp jab to the side from Jiraiya. "Ow, you didn't need to do that!" She whisper-yelled, rubbing the sore area while Kakashi continued as if she never had interrupted him.

"I have an offer, but before I say it you have to answer me this one question with complete honesty."

"Yeah… Uh, what's up?"

There was a protracted pause of tense silence before he recommenced. "Do you want to find the Serial Killer and help town, no matter the cost?"

She snorted. "Duh. I don't make promises for shits and giggles, ya know." Kakashi's question seemed stupid and she answered it without a second thought (she wasn't sure if she even thought before she answered), but she had a hunch that his question held a lot more weight than she knew.

Something told her she was just about to find out what all he was _actually_ asking.

"You seem determined enough." He said with a blase attitude, and she couldn't help but roll her eyes. "Anyways, Naruko. I know what you are, and soon enough, I'll tell you what I am, too. But first, I'll get right to the point."

 _Finally._ The only thing that stopped her from verbalizing her appreciation was another jab from Jiraiya - which would have been delivered mercilessly to her already sore side.

"I've formed a group with two people - one of them is a Doctor. Together, we can help you find the Serial Killer, but on one condition…"

 _Condition?_ Her heart dropped.

"You have to work with us until at least half of the Mafia is gone. Then, whether or not you want to stay with us or work on your own is up to you."

"Kakashi," Jiraiya spoke before she could even think. "Do you mean… Them? "

It seemed that Jiraiya knew more than she did. He also appeared familiar with Kakashi, just like Hiruzen, but she was too engrossed in her thoughts to question their acquaintance, and the evident dread that had dripped from every word when Jiraiya spoke.

"Yeah, but like I said, Jiraiya… There's no need to worry."

"That Uchiha hates _everyone_ who makes eye contact with him, Kakashi. He'll never get along with her."

"He's a special case, Jiraiya. Do you not trust me?"

Jiraiya fell silent just as Naruko found the courage to push aside her muddled thoughts and questions and speak.

"You said you know my Role?"

He answered with a curt nod.

"If you know my Role, that means you're part of TI, right? And you said one of them's a Doctor, so… What's the Role of the third one?"

She was met with a blank stare, and a small voice in the back of her mind told her that her question was one he didn't want to answer; nonetheless, his response was quick, immaculate, and was voiced with the same nonchalance as before. "He's a skilled Investigator. I'm a Sheriff."

She pursed her lips in thought. If Kakashi had two TI and one TP with him, why would he need her help? Not to mention, out of all the TK available her Role was disliked by TI and all Roles alike the most.

She was a Vigilante - or as they saw it, a girl with a shotgun, a few bullets, and a fate stained in her own blood.

Nobody wanted to be involved with a Vigilante. It didn't matter how kind the Vigilante may be - all of them were seen as maniacs who shot whoever they wanted, and then themselves. There were claims in the past that some were controlled by Witches, but there wasn't enough evidence to prove the existence of them and the case was dropped.

Only one Vigilante has managed to earn Leaf Town's respect. Kushina Uzumaki - her mother - was a famous Vigilante renowned for her faith in her intuition, and her and Minato Namikaze (Leaf Town's former Mayor and most skilled Investigator) were unstoppable together. Back then, the Mafia wasn't as much of a threat and Leaf Town had a semblance of peace. Vigilante's had a sliver of respect back then, too. But all of that ended one fateful night.

The night she was born.

A chill crawled up and down her spine as she ran her fingers over the three lines that fanned out on her cheeks. All respect for Vigilante's had died with her parents that night, and things haven't been the same ever since. That's why Kakashi's offer left her so utterly confused. It's not that she didn't _want_ to help - she just didn't know _how_ she'd help. Her confidence had deflated like a balloon.

"Naruko, you don't have to have an important Role to be able to help town." Kakashi started, as if he had read her thoughts. She felt like an open book. He continued just as she opened her mouth to question him. "I won't go into details, but… I asked you because I knew you could help us, so - what do you say? Are you in, or not?"

She slowly lifted her head to face Kakashi, and her eyes narrowed inquisitively. He was telling the truth, she could feel it. If she denied his offer, would she ever come across another in the future? Should she ignore her gut's pleas to accept? Not once has she doubted her intuition - it's never been wrong, so what made this situation any different?

"Alright, Kakashi." She beamed as a wave of newfound determination washed over her. "I'll do it."

Kakashi put on a look of satisfaction. "Glad to hear." He glanced at the building over his shoulder, and Naruko followed his gaze to see that it was a rather voluminous, two-story tavern. It had multiple windows along the front with black shutters, with wood that looked as if it had received a recent fresh coat of white paint. Located in the center was an enormous, well furnished oak door that looked _impossible_ to open. She wondered if it was new. "Come here tomorrow after the trials, and I'll introduce you to them. Now that _that's_ out of the way, we should really get going."

She shot one last look at the tavern so she wouldn't forget, and followed Kakashi as he headed back toward the center of town. A hand suddenly clamped on her shoulder, and she stopped and whirled around to face Jiraiya with surprise. "What's up?"

"Don't call me that," he mumbled as he pinched the bridge of his nose. "Naruko-"

"Don't try to stop me," she interrupted warningly. "I know I'm probably not gonna get along with everybody right off the bat, but…"

"I know I won't be able to stop you, Naruko." Much to her surprise, Jiraiya didn't look irritated as he cut her off - in fact, she was met with a warm smile that spelled encouragement. "I just wanted to remind you that, well… You always have a TI and TP who'll help you out, alright?"

She returned his smile with one of her own. Images of long, blonde hair and fierce brown eyes flashed in her mind.

"Yeah. I know, Pervy-Investigator."

* * *

The trio returned to the center of town in silence, and she found upon arrival that there were still no leads.

But she saw two figures - one in particular - that wreaked menace. One was a tall, lean and muscular man with most of his face wrapped in bandages. He was dressed completely in black, and spiked brown hair fell to shadow a pair of dark, daunting eyes. The figure next to him had a more feminine appearance, with long hair that complimented chocolate brown eyes and framed a pale, oval face. She wore a moss green tunic and a pair of brown trousers, with a belt tied around her waist that carried some unidentifiable object in the pouch attached to it. The pair looked normal enough, but she couldn't help the sense of dread that swelled in her stomach. As soon as she spotted them it was like a bucket of ice had been dumped over her head, and she was left trembling.

They were gone in the blink of an eye, and she was left to question her own intuition, and to decide whether or not she should reveal her suspicions to Kakashi and the others tomorrow.


	3. Altercations and Introductions

**Author's Note** Hey! Normally I post notes on the first and second chapters, but I completely forgot to do that here. Anyways, I guess I'll say everything I need to say now! But first, I'll start with some apologies. I'm really sorry it took me so long to get this chapter up. A lot of stuff happened and I got completely sidetracked, but I'll hopefully have future chapters up sooner! Also, the quality may have deteriorated with this chapter - which, I'm also sorry for. Please, comment and tell me how you feel and if I should change anything! With that aside, I'm super happy to have this chapter (and this fanfiction overall) up and running. Things are going to get really interesting, and I hope you all enjoy reading this! Thank you for taking the time to read it!

 **April 14th**

 _Tonight's moon-phase: waxing crescent_

Naruko had spent most of the night lost in thoughts of trepidation from yesterday's encounters, and sleep hadn't beckoned her until hours after midnight. When Jiraiya decided to pitilessly chuck a pillow at her face the following morning and announce with alien enthusiasm that it was time to wake up she was _not_ impressed, to say the least.

As she unceremoniously tossed the pillow aside and sat upright, she cinched to give him the finger.

Jiraiya snorted. "Someone woke up on the wrong side of the bed," he teased with a playful smirk that faded as his face was met by the two pillows she launched at him. "You didn't need to throw both of them!"

"Well, you didn't need to throw _any_ of them, y'know!" She snapped as she scooted to the edge of her bed and delivered an appropriately miffed look.

"What's with that look?" Jiraiya asked as he picked up the pillows and walked to her bed. After he haphazardly tossed them aside he plopped down beside her, and as she rose to face him she saw that concern had replaced the humor that once swirled in the depths of his eyes. "Is something wrong? I don't think I've seen you this grumpy in a while."

"Well…" Her anger had faded as quickly as it came, and she was left tired and confused in its wake. Should she tell him? Albeit she trusted Jiraiya with her life she struggled to find the words to clearly depict what she saw and felt yesterday. _Maybe I just need more sleep…_ She deduced as she combed a hand through her tousled hair. If she ever managed to voice her apprehension he'd surely look into the situation, and maybe that's what bothered her to the point of silence. If Kakashi and the others were truly willing to help her, she didn't want to pester Jiraiya with her suspicions. While he could focus on his own problems she could work alongside the others on separate investigations, and with that thought she resolved to keep her premonitions to herself for the time being. With a shake of her head she stood up, offering an overcompensating smile. "I didn't sleep well last night, but that's somethin' I've gotta get used to, right?" Before he could even begin to question her she traversed the room to her closet, where knee-length dresses with stripes and polka-dot patterns welcomed her - not the blouses and trousers she was accustomed to. The unmistakable mischief settling on Jiraiya's features proved that he was behind the sudden change, and it took every ounce of self-control she had to not chuck a shoe at him. This had to be his millionth attempt to make her more ladylike, and although she's admitted hundreds of times that she was anything but, she couldn't stultify his endeavors.

That didn't mean she wouldn't berate him, though as she spun around just to do that she came face to face with him, and she was left dumbfounded as his hand fell atop her head to ruffle her unruly hair.

"Whatever you say, Naruko. If anything's bothering you, though, you can tell me." He said, his face devoid of devilry. With that he retracted his hand and exited the room, and all she did as he left was smile warmly at his back. _Yeah, I know. You perverted bastard._

* * *

Naruko had thankfully found a pair of decent clothes with enough time left to scarf down two pieces of toast for breakfast, but she rued every bite as she reached the center of town. The vomitous scent of blood and death wafted from the three dead bodies sprawled out on the concrete, and bile rose in her throat when she recognized the corpse on the left.

 _Oh, gosh._ The corpse had features analogous to Tazuna. Realization settled in with a chill that crawled up and down her spine.

Tazuna was dead.

 _No, it can't be._ She wanted to believe it wasn't him, but at the same time she _knew_ it wasn't him - was it denial or was it instincts? As she struggled to differentiate the two she averted her gaze from the deceased's twisted faces, but she was met by something just as noisome. Standing across from her was the man and woman she spotted yesterday. The corners of the man's eyes crinkled, and although his mouth was obscured by the bandages she could tell by the unambiguous mirth in his eyes that he was smiling. It took her a second to realize that his smile was aimed at Tazuna's corpse, and her blood ran cold.

Tazuna's death delighted him.

Without a moment's hesitation, she marched right up to him.

"Why're you smiling?" She asked, the words stealing her breath as they left her lips. "There's three dead bodies, and you're _smiling_?"

His face was devoid of all emotion when he faced her. For a moment she wondered if it was all her imagination, but that's what he wanted her to think. What she saw now was a guise to hide the truth, and she wasn't about to be fooled by it. The stare he delivered was intense, and she found herself shrinking back despite the confidence she approached him with.

Hiruzen spoke, and she remembered to breathe. "Attention! We have a total of three victims. The first victim, the one on the left…"

Naruko spun on her heel to face Hiruzen. All thoughts of the man were pushed to the back of her mind as she focused on Hiruzen's voice. _Don't say Tazuna, please…_ She pleaded as she nervously chewed on her bottom lip. _Don't say Tazuna._

She soon found that the rapid thump in her ears was the sound of her own pounding heart.

"...His name was Haru Watanabe."

"Wait, who?" The words left her lips before she could stop them, and she felt her heart skip a beat as she stepped toward the corpse. "You mean… This corpse right here - it isn't… It's Haru Watanabe?" She asked dryly as she pointed a finger at who she thought was Tazuna.

"Yes, Naruko. He's Haru Watanabe." Hiruzen's expression softened as he spoke. "He was killed by a Serial Killer, but he didn't have a Role. Do you know him?"

She felt a twinge of guilt at the sudden relief that filled her, but she couldn't help it. Tazuna wasn't dead, so she still had a chance to find the Serial Killer and save him. A curse resounded from behind her, and she whirled around to see the man she confronted earlier. He sounded upset, and she wondered if it was because Tazuna wasn't the one who died.

Was this man the Serial Killer?

It made sense, didn't it? He exuded a rancor vibe that made the hairs on the back of her neck bristle, and his disappointment surfaced exclusively after Hiruzen's announcement about the same corpse he had smiled at beforehand. If that wasn't enough to confirm her suspicions, she didn't know what else would.

"You seem quite upset, Zabuza."

Naruko's mind went blank at the soft, tender voice that broke the silence. As Hiruzen started to drone off about the other corpses in the background she focused on the woman beside the man. The malice faded in an instant. All she could feel now was warmth, and shock as the woman strolled up to him and placed a hand on his shoulder.

"What happened, Haku?"

Haku's unfeigned smile was amicable yet apologetic, despite the seriousness of the situation. "I'm sorry, Zabuza. I somehow mixed up the addresses and guarded the wrong person last night. I'll be more organized from now on."

"Whatever. It's not like we can do anything about it now."

Naruko's head spun. It was like Haku's mere appearance dispelled Zabuza's malicious vibe, and she started to wonder if his eerie demeanor was just a misconception.

 _But… How could it?_ She asked herself, facing Haru's corpse. How could Haru's resemblance to Tazuna and Zabuza's moment of triumph be a coincidence? Not to mention, if that wasn't a smile on his face, then why would he deadpan the moment he faced her - as if he didn't want her to see it? It just didn't add up, and the more she thought about the more a mere coincidence seemed less likely.

"Zabuza, who is this?"

Naruko felt like she had just been chucked off a cliff with how hard her stomach dropped at that moment. Zabuza's first impression of her surely wasn't tip-top, and she wouldn't be surprised if whatever aversion he harbored toward her rubbed off onto Haku. As she slowly spun to face them she eased into a tense, yet casual smile, but she couldn't find her voice.

Zabuza's head tilted in her direction as he spoke. "I don't know. I just met her before the Mayor's announcements. There seems to be a… Misunderstanding."

Naruko's smile morphed into an irate scowl. "Misunderstanding? If you weren't smiling at those dead bodies, then tell me, what the hell else were you doing?

"It's quite difficult to tell the difference sometimes because of that mask he wears, right?" Haku interrupted, her voice kind, but defensive. She looked at him over his shoulder. "You shouldn't hide so much of your faze, Zabuza. This is the second time this has happened, isn't it?"

"Look, lady-"

"You don't need to apologize, ma'am. We understand," she replied as she patted Zabuza's shoulder. "We'll leave you be, now." Haku flashed one last smile before she completely turned around, but she didn't walk away - even as Zabuza disappeared into the crowd. To Naruko's surprised, she turned around and spoke before she could even open her mouth to question her. "By the way, I'm not a woman. I'm a man."

Naruko choked on her own spit. _Wait, Haku's a man? He's more feminine than me!_ She pushed aside her shock and furiously shook her head to clear her thoughts. Now wasn't the time to let Haku's gender dumbfound her. She needed to focus on Zabuza, albeit when she looked up all she saw were unfamiliar faces. Not Haku and Zabuza.

She wasn't about to let them go.

She jostled her way through the crowd, determined to find them. What she felt when she first saw Zabuza was, without a doubt, unadulterated malice, and her blood boiled as she remembered his smile and the noisome triumph dancing in his eyes. She knew it wasn't a misconception, and while she couldn't prove them culpable there wasn't anything proving their innocence either. There was still hope, but even that began to slip away like sand between her fingers as she came across more and more unfamiliar faces. She skidded to a stop and spun around to search the crowd, but there were still no signs of them, and after a few more spins she finally realized that she lost them. They were gone. For all she knew, they could've simply left and completely forgotten about the remainder of today's session.

Damn it. She longed to continue her pursuit, but at the same time she didn't want to risk missing any leads anybody might have. She figured she couldn't be the only one suspicious of him. After all, his malicious vibe was so tangible she could slice it up and serve it at a dinner table. Hell - there was probably enough to serve the entire crowd twice. That's how intense it was.

And it all faded instantly upon Haku's arrival.

 _What's up with that, anyway?_ She wondered as she angrily kicked a pebble, firmly resolving to find answers soon as she sauntered back to Hiruzen. Haku was like a light that chased away all the darkness emanating from Zabuza, and it was so incredibly confusing that it left her head spinning. She was picking up different sensations left and right, especially around those two, and it was going to drive her insane if she didn't find out the reason behind it. Deciding to keep her questions stored in the back of her mind for later, she stood tall and faced the rest of the crowd. There was one thing she had that would help her find clues, and that was their names. She didn't know how the TI worked, but she was sure they could do something even with that bit of information.

That provided her with enough respite to calmly listen to the discussions following Hiruzen's announcement.

* * *

"Sorry, ma'am. I can't let you in yet."

"Why not?" Naruko shot the man blocking the tavern's doors a quizzical look. "It's open, isn't it?" She had to stand on her tiptoes to see over his broad shoulders and peer through the rectangular windows on the doors. Nebulous yellow light illuminated the interior of the tavern, and satisfied, she rolled back on her heels. "Looks like it is. The lights are on." A puff of smoke from his lips coalesced with the fumes from his cigar as he exhaled, and she took another step back with a grimace. Does everybody in this town smoke?

"That's not - I meant…" With a shake of his head he leaned down to match her height, both of his eyebrows raised in one of the most incurious expressions she's ever seen. "You can enter after you tell me your name and age, alright? That is, if you meet the age requirements."

"Age requirements?" The words rolled off her tongue numbly. Kakashi didn't say anything about age requirements.

"Yeah," he pulled back. "You have to be twenty-one to enter."

"Twenty-one? You've gotta be kiddin' me!" She snapped, promising herself that if she ever saw Kakashi again, she'd strangle him for not mentioning this. "Look, somebody told me to meet them here, so… Can you just let me in?"

"Are you twenty-one?"

"Um, yeah."

"No, you're not. If you're not twenty-one, you can't enter. I won't bend the rules for anybody."

"Well, um… How do _you_ know how old I am? Who the help are you, anyway? You probably don't even work here."

"My name is Asuma Sarutobi." He said as he pinched the bridge of his nose. "I happen to be the owner of this tavern."

She raised an eyebrow in disbelief. "Prove it."

All he needed to do was point at the sign hoisted above the door for her to feel like a complete idiot.

Sarutobi's Tavern.

"Oh, um… Nice sign." She bit out, wondering if this confrontation had just ruined her chance of ever getting into his tavern.

Just as Asuma opened his mouth to speak the doors behind him creaked open, and as Kakashi emerged from the tavern she found she was more thankful than annoyed.

"She's with me, Asuma." He stated, and Asuma stepped aside with a confused frown.

"She's with you?" There was a sudden glint in Asuma's eyes that sent a chill up and down Naruko's spine. Warmth crawled on her cheeks as his eyes roamed over her body, and just as she thought she was about to explode with how downright awkward the situation was he recommenced. "I didn't know you were into younger ladies, Kakashi. You've got a good eye."

"It's not like that." Kakashi's shoulders slumped as he replied. He tilted his head back, and Naruko realized that he was staring at her as he spoke, not him. "I want to introduce her to them. You know, the Investigator and Doctor."

"Y-yeah, uh… I don't date old guys, anyways." Naruko quickly added, tearing her gaze from Kakashi to glare at Asuma, who held his hands up defensively.

"Alright, alright, my bad… Misunderstanding." Asuma's lips stretched into a nervous, but cheeky smile as he held the door open for them. "I guess I'll make an exception for you this time, miss. Just don't cause any trouble, alright?"

"She won't." Kakashi replied for her as he pushed her inside.

Now, when she thought of a tavern she imagined broken windows, flipped tables and broken chairs, stone-tiled floors and a bunch of robust men with irate expressions; however, Sarutobi's Tavern was different. To her left was a bar with a suave man on the other side, and to her right was a staircase that led to the bedrooms. Booths aligned the walls and tables filled the space between the bar and staircase. It was unoccupied apart from the two seated at a booth in the far corner of the tavern, who Kakashi slowly directed her to.

Closer, she saw it was a man and a woman. The woman had a strange appearance, to say the least. Pink hair framed a cherubic face and emerald eyes sparkled with warmth. The sleeves of her beige blouse were rolled up to her elbows, and a few buttons were left alone to reveal parts of her collarbone. She focused on the man. His clothes were normal, as it wasn't uncommon to see a fine vest - in this case, blue - tailored to perfection with a pristine white collared shirt; however, she couldn't say the same about everything else. His skin was so pale it was nearly white, yet attractively juxtaposed with the thatch of black hair that framed his immaculate face. His eyes captured her attention the most. Onyx eyes gazed into her own, strangely familiar. What danced in those dark pools danced in her own - she could feel the loneliness, so strongly it hurt, yet there was something more sinister within them.

Hate.

This hate wasn't for her, though. Even though she could tell he harbored it for someone else, the hairs on the back of her neck stood.

"Kakashi," a smooth, baritone voice reeled her from her thoughts. "I thought you were going to bring us a Vigilante, not a clown."

She snorted, not giving Kakashi a chance to speak as she slammed her hand on the table. "Do I look like I have face paint and a big red ball on my nose?"

The man raised a brow. "No, but your hair fits the part."

"It's called I _just_ woke up."

"It's called a _brush_."

She spun around and faced Kakashi. "Are you serious? I can't work with this guy!"

"Calm down, Naruko." He said, and as he took a seat beside the raven-haired male he gestured for her to sit next to the pinkette. Though she was tempted to leave, she listened. "You ought to give each other a chance."

"She isn't the first Vigilante I've met, Kakashi."

She glared daggers at him from across the booth. "Let me guess, you're the Investigator?"

"You told her our Roles?" He asked Kakashi darkly.

"You aren't the first asshole I've met." She answered for him. "Oh, sorry, I meant Investigator. I guess there really isn't much of a difference, if you think about it."

"Would you two cut it out?" The pinkette beside her, who had yet to speak, snapped. The booth fell silent instantly. "I don't mean to be rude, Kakashi, but why did you bring a Vigilante when they don't get along with Investigators?"

"Don't you think it's about time for us to set aside our differences and focus on what's important?" Kakashi didn't miss a beat as he spoke. "This isn't the time to judge each other by something that doesn't define us. We need to work together."

"But, Kakashi…" Uncertainty leaked into the pinkette's voice.

"I know. You're wondering how a Vigilante can help us, right?" He faced Naruko, then, staring into her eyes expectantly. "Well, you'll see." His gaze wandered to the bar, and he stood up, pointing at it over his shoulder. "Why don't you all introduce yourselves while I fetch us some water? When I get back we'll discuss our plans." He left before any of them could speak, leaving Naruko alone with a hollow feeling in her the two beside her a wary glance, she wondered if they even wanted to work with her. Obviously the thought of grouping with a Vigilante wasn't ideal to them, and honestly, she'd rather work alone than deal with that man's snobbish attitude. But that same gut feeling returned, warning her that this was an opportunity she shouldn't turn her back on. The introductions surprisingly went smoothly. She found that the pinkette was Sakura Haruno, a Doctor, and the man was Sasuke Uchiha, the Investigator. She swore she heard Jiraiya mention his name yesterday, but the memory was vague, so she had shrugged it off and continued to converse with Sakura. She didn't miss the long side-glances she shot Sasuke as she spoke. She wondered if she liked him. How anyone could like someone as moody as Sasuke, she didn't know, but maybe she just knew him better.

It wasn't long before Kakashi arrived with three glass cups filled to the rim with water. As he passed a cup to each person, the ice tinkling the glass as it slid across the table, he spoke. "As I told you all before, we'll help Naruko find a Serial Killer and she'll help us find and eliminate about half of the Mafia." He explained. "Now that you've hopefully gotten to know each other, do you still want to do it?"

All three of them nodded.

"Good, now…" Kakashi explained the situation with Tazuna and the second Serial Killer, and beyond eager to share her suspicions about Zabuza and Haku, Naruko's heart raced with every pause he took in between sentences.

When Kakashi stopped, Sasuke spoke first. "Do you really think we can do this, Kakashi?" He continued before she could argue. "Anyone could be the Serial Killer. The fact that Serial Killers tend to try to pass themselves off as Doctors helps us narrow down our search a little. It also helps that this Serial Killer happens to be foreign, but I doubt we'll find anything before Tazuna's murdered…"

Naruko's heart sunk. _Is there really nothing we can do for Tazuna?_

"Unless we break into the Mayor's office and go through the documents there."

"Hold the phone," Naruko interrupted. "You're saying that going through some stupid documents is gonna help us find the Serial Killer?"

Sasuke rolled his eyes. "Every citizen of Leaf Town has their own document. It contains information on whether or not they have a Role, their address and more. It's the same with every other town out there. Whenever a person moves to another town or even visits, their document is transferred and stored somewhere. I'm sure this Serial Killer's document has been transferred by now, but still... Finding it could take all night, considering we don't have a single lead to go off of. If we had names, the process wouldn't be as complicated."

Naruko didn't understand half of what Sasuke said, but as soon as he mentioned names she knew it was her time to shine. After all, she was the only one here with names.

"I have names!" She quickly said, and as Sasuke's expression went from emotionless to curious she felt a spark of triumph. "One of the victim's name was Haru Watanabe. He looked a lot like Tazuna. I thought he was dead for a moment, and these two guys I was standing beside thought so too." _Well, I think._

"What about it?" Sasuke's tone was doubtful.

"One of them was smiling. As soon as I mentioned it to him he stopped smiling, y'know - as if he wanted to hide it?"

"And what're their names?"

"Uh, Zabuza and Haku. Zabuza's the weirdo who smiled."

Sasuke, as if taking a moment to let the information sink in, remained silent - and honestly, it was the most suspenseful moment of Naruko's life. She couldn't read him. Did he accept her suspicions? Did he still think she was a clown? Shaking her head and focusing on Kakashi instead, she tried picking up the slightest inkling of acceptance, but all she saw was a single, onyx eye that was just as devoid of emotion as Sasuke's face. With an irritated sigh she tried Sakura, but her face was hidden behind most of her hair. Rolling her eyes, she just decided to hold her breath and wait.

Thankfully, she hadn't waited much longer.

"I guess we have no other choice but to investigate Zabuza and Haku," Kakashi said. "Sasuke, Sakura, Naruko, meet me by the Mayor's office by eight o'clock tonight. I have a plan."


	4. Misfortune

**Author's Note** I am so incredibly sorry for taking so long to upload this chapter. I thought I'd get more writing done this summer, but as it turns out, I was more distracted than I thought I'd be. Once again, halfway through the chapter I deleted it and rewrote it, so that probably didn't help at all, oops. It's a little shorter than usual, but I hope you guys still enjoy it! Thank you for reading (and waiting). If you have anything you'd like to say or ask, don't be afraid! I don't bite.

* * *

Cerulean eyes trained on moon, high in the sky and casting an eerie glow. It was eight o'clock, the time Kakashi had set for Naruko and the others to meet outside of the Mayor's office, and she was running a tad bit late. No worries. The office was ten minutes away from her house, but running would cut that time in half. After double-checking her locked door she took off with a premature heart-pounding rush of adrenaline, accompanied by thrill from the thought of breaking in, and nervousness from the thought of being caught. The thought of there being nothing. The thought of her being wrong.

She shook her head, sprinting through an alleyway between two brick buildings. Now wasn't the time to let doubt cloud her mind. She had to focus on Kakashi's plan - whatever that was - and soon enough, on finding Zabuza and Haku's documents. Also, on not running late. She added as she reached the end of the alleyway, turning left to head down another empty street. As she bumped into a hard chest and stumbled backward, landing on her back on the concrete, she could feel her chances of arriving at a decent time vanish with the searing pain shooting up her spine.

She would've apologized, but she couldn't find her voice. The sudden, irrefutable malice she felt was like one of those abrupt gusts of wind in winter - chilling her to the bone and leaving her shivering in its wake as it passed right through her. And like that gust of wind, the malice was gone in an instant. Her hand trembled ever so slightly with trepidation as she moved it to her holster, her head spinning. _What was that…?_

"Are you okay, miss?" A silky, male and undoubtedly familiar voice broke the silence between them.

She craned her neck back, the sight of a man clad head to toe in black hollowing an empty feeling in her stomach. His voice might've been akin to Haku's, but that was all she could recognize with most of his face effectively covered by a matching hat. Not to mention, his hair wasn't as long as Haku's. Shaking her head to dismiss any and every thought of Haku and the malice she before felt, she climbed to her feet and graced the stranger with an apologetic smile. She could think about all of this when a possible Mafioso or Serial Killer wasn't standing about a foot away.

"Yup. Sorry about that. I'm kinda in a hurry…"

"Ah, I see." The man paused. "Do you have someone… Or something you're trying to protect?"

"What kinda question is that?" She asked with a raised brow, placing her hands on her hips. "Are you tryna find out my Role?" After all, wasn't protecting someone a Bodyguard or Doctor's job?

He chuckled, low in his throat. "You don't have to be a Bodyguard or a Doctor to protect someone." He paused, but only for a mere second. "Tell me, Naruko… Why do you think Bodyguards and Doctors can perform their Roles so effectively, and more so in the face of danger?"

"Because… It's their Role?"

He shook his head. "When a person has someone important to them they want to protect, they can truly become strong. Anyways, you were in a rush, weren't you? You better get going."

Without another word he left, but she stayed there, irresolute as warmth bubbled in her chest, then faded with the sudden westbound breeze that bristled the hairs on the back of her neck.

How did he know my name?

* * *

The man's words followed her to the meeting place. _When a person has someone important to them they want to protect, they can truly become strong._ She forced them aside when she walked up to Sakura and Sasuke, who both glared at her with exasperation.

"What took you so long, moron? Did you get lost?" Sasuke asked, making Naruko's blood boil right off the bat.

"I bumped into somebody." She said through clenched teeth, barely holding onto her temper. "And that somebody happened to be a little talkative. Even though I thought they wanted to kill me for a moment, they were surprisingly nicer than a certain jerk I know."

He snorted. "Just because you're a Vigilante doesn't mean everyone who isn't one is out to get you."

"Just because you're an Investigator doesn't mean everyone who isn't one is as stupid as you think."

"You'd be surprised." He replied indifferently, tilting his head to avert his gaze.

The message was clear - _this conversation is over._ Naruko wasn't about to let it end like that, but just as she opened her mouth, Sakura shot her a scathing look. With a sigh, she faced Sakura with her slender eyebrows raising quizzically.

"Anyways, where's Kakashi?"

"Late, as always." Sakura muttered, kicking a pebble.

Naruko shot the pebble, now laying several feet away, a sympathetic look. "We can do it without him, right?" She questioned, refocusing on her.

"Do you have a plan?" Sasuke replied before Sakura could, earning him a bone-chilling glare from Naruko. "Don't look at me like that."

"I wasn't asking you, bastard." Naruko grumbled.

He sighed. "Kakashi's the only one with a plan, so we'll wait for him."

And so they did. Thirty minutes passed, flourishing into an hour without a single sign of Kakashi's arrival. It was obvious after another twenty minutes that they would have to attain the documents they needed without Kakashi's help, and Naruko divided an expectant look between Sakura and Sasuke, waiting for either of them to speak.

"Fine," Sasuke groaned, rubbing his temples, "since Kakashi obviously isn't going to be here anytime soon, we'll just do this without him."

Sakura frowned. "Do any of us even have a plan?"

"Yes, but we'll have to move quick." Sasuke gestured for them to move closer with his index finger, and when they were all huddled in a small circle, he continued. "We only have to worry about two people. That's the Bodyguard guarding the Mayor and the Mayor himself. We don't have an Escort, so we'll have to cause some kind of disturbance to lure the Bodyguard away from the Mayor's office long enough to give us time to do what we need to do."

"What exactly do we need to do, anyways?" Naruko asked.

Sakura sighed heavily. "Naruko, don't you know how Investigators work? In order to actually investigate someone, they need to know where their target lives. Investigators normally try to figure that out on their own, but… If they can't, there's another room - the vault - in the Mayor's office. It contains documents of everyone in Leaf Town. I'm sure Zabuza and Haku's documents have been transferred by now, so if we can find them… We'll know exactly where they live."

"Sounds easy enough." Naruko grinned.

"Not really." Sasuke said, wiping the grin right off of Naruko's face. "We need a key in order to get inside, and that key's undoubtedly located somewhere in the Mayor's office. And in order to get into the Mayor's office, we need to get him out." He trained his charcoal eyes on Sakura. "That's where you come in. All you need to do is say you're a Doctor, and then-"

"Sasuke, that won't work." Sakura interrupted with a frown marring her face. "Doctor's aren't allowed to visit the Mayor, remember?"

That's right. While Hashirama Senju, Leaf Town's first Mayor, decided against having any sort of protection assigned to Mayors, Leaf Town's second Mayor, Tobirama Senju, declared that Doctors were to focus on healing everyone but the Mayor. Bodyguards would be responsible for guarding the Mayor every night. Leaf Town's conditions then forced Hiruzen Sarutobi, the third Mayor, to initiate the Leaf Trials and have the Doctors focus solely on healing anyone with a Role. Excluding the Mayor, of course. The Bodyguards were still responsible for the Mayor's safety.

Sasuke's nose wrinkled in dissatisfaction, and he ran a hand through his hair, clearly annoyed. "Alright, then… I'll have to think of a new plan."

"Why not just add onto it?" Naruko's grin returned. When she was younger, she often spent most of her time in the Mayor's office fairly late at night reading. It was punishment for pulling pranks, and as boring as it was, she now has his nightly routine memorized. It was eight-twenty by time she arrived. It's been about two hours since they've arrived, which meant it was probably around ten o'clock by now. Around this time, Sarutobi would excuse himself for about thirty minutes. She wasn't entirely sure what he did around this time, but whatever it was, it would hopefully grant them enough time to find Zabuza and Haku's documents.

Curiosity always got the best of her at those times, and she may or may not have accidentally found the key while searching for a more interesting book to read.

"Old Man Sarutobi's probably gonna be leaving his office soon to do something. He'll be gone for about thirty minutes, so that oughta give us enough time to find the documents." She explained, picking up a rock and examining it with a triumphant grin. "The key is probably hidden in chapter five of the one of the gardening books he reads."

If she remembered correctly, the key was specifically located in _Kushikaze's Guide to Gardening._

"How do you know that?" Sasuke asked suspiciously.

"That's a story for another time." She replied with a foxlike grin, whirling around to ascend the steps leading her onto the two-story building's pillared porch. The pillars reached from the top of the stairs to the ornate canopy above her, reminding her of some buildings she'd spotted in history books. She ran her hand along the old-fashioned brick as she passed by the large paneled door and approached one of the many double-hung windows adorning the front of the structure, and stopping in front of it, she prepared to throw the rock in her hand.

"Naruko! What are you doing?" Sakura asked, panic lacing her voice. She grabbed Naruko's arm, effortlessly stopping her with her surprisingly firm grip.

Naruko shot her a quizzical look. "I'm gonna break the window. That'll be distracting enough, right? While the Bodyguard checks out this broken window, we can run to a room near Old Man Sarutobi's office and wait for him to leave. When he leaves, you can keep an eye out for anyone while me and Sasuke do what we gotta do."

Sakura cast Sasuke, standing beside her, a worried gaze, but he didn't seem at all concerned when he shook his head. "Let's do it. Just don't mess it up, moron."

Rather than lashing out at Sasuke, Naruko channelled all of her anger into launching the pebble at the window. Her heart jumped when the glass shattered, and she wasted no time in flinging herself at the broken window and climbing inside. Letting out a low hiss at the twinge in her palm as she landed inside, she looked down. Even though it was impossibly difficult to see through the darkness of the room, she spotted a jagged red line crossing from one side of her palm to the other. She would've ripped some of her shirt to cover it, but she didn't have time for that - not when Sasuke and Sakura were already inside. Not when the Bodyguard could be here any moment.

She closed her eyes, envisioning the room in daylight. To their left was a desk, and to the right was a row of chairs aligning the wall. In front of them, the room split off into three hallways. The left lead to an exit. The middle lead directly to the Mayor's office. The right would split into two, with one leading to another exit and the other leading to the Mayor's office. It would take them longer to get there if they took the right, but it was the safest route.

Gesturing for Sasuke and Sakura to follow her with a flick of her wrist, she headed toward the right.

They didn't follow.

"Guys, we gotta go!" She whisper-yelled, turning to face them.

It was like a bucket of gelid water had been dumped over her head the moment she saw Sasuke's pale face. He honestly looked sick, and the sight of it made her chest tighten almost painfully. Her skin suddenly felt like ice, even though the room was ridiculously hot, and her instincts forced her to step away. As if Sasuke was a threat.

 _Drip, drip._

Blood.

 _Drip, drip._

Her blood.

 _Drip, drip._

Someone wanted it.

Not Sasuke, though… Right?

"Sasuke…?" She forced the tremor from her voice, lest it give way to her trepidation - to her confusion at this new, unfathomable feeling. It wasn't malice. It was a different kind of hunger. An unquenchable, inhuman thirst. And it was frightening. Even more so because she knew it was aimed at her, judging by the burning sensation engulfing her neck.

Rapid footsteps grew closer and louder at an alarming rate, but dread's unyielding grip on her wouldn't even let her blink. It wasn't until she felt something squeezing her hand that she finally snapped out of it, and before she could look down to see the bandages covering her wound, everything she felt earlier dispelled. It was like nothing happened.

Before Naruko could rack her brains for answers, Sakura placed a hand on her cheek. "Snap out of it, Naruko. We need to get going. The Bodyguard will be here any moment."

Naruko shook her head, dividing a curious look between Sakura and Sasuke. "But, Sasuke…"

"What about me?" Sasuke asked, lifting an eyebrow. "You heard her. We need to get going. You know this place better than either of us, so you need to lead the way. And you better hurry it up."

Had she imagined it?

She expelled a sigh, forcing the thoughts away. Now wasn't the time to stop and think. They had to move. Now.

"Follow me." She said, rushing down the right hallway, and inevitably, to the Mayor's office.

* * *

A thick, unsettling silence had rolled over them as they made their way to the Mayor's office, making it hard for Naruko to distract herself from the ominosity she earlier discerned. Still, she focused on running until they reached the office. Light poured in from beneath the paneled door and through the peephole in the center of it. She peered through it, relieved to see the room was empty.

"Alright," she said, twisting the doorknob. It was unlocked. She swung it open and stepped inside, Sasuke following her suit. The office's interior was just as she remembered it to be. With a tudor-style interior decoration, brown dominated the room with his cushioned red chair, positioned at his desk in the center of the room, being the focal point. The only other colors came from the red carpet in front of his desk, the various images bedecking the walls, and the endless amount of books hoarding his shelves. As soon as she spotted the vault, located in the left-hand corner of the room, she faced Sakura. "We'll be as quick as possible, kay?"

Sakura nodded stiffly, turning her back to them. Naruko finally closed the door.

"We need the key." Sasuke said, traversing the room to lean against the vault.

"I know, I know." She muttered, walking over to the bookshelf closest to her and starting to skim through the books.

"Don't you know where it is?"

"Well…" She swallowed sharply, subconsciously licking her dry lips. "I know which book the key's in, but… I dunno where the book is."

"Are you serious? Why didn't you tell us this before? We don't have enough time to find the book and then find the documents."

She didn't need to turn around to see the disapproval on his sour face. She could feel it burn through her skin and boil her blood. "We wouldn't be short on time if you hadn't held us back earlier!" She snapped, shooting the book in her hand, _Myths of Leaf Town: Vampires, Werewolves and Witches_ , her blackest look.

"You were supposed to lead us, but you decided to stand there like an idiot."

"You've gotta be kidding me." Naruko clenched her unoccupied hand into a fist, wincing at the smarting pain in her bandaged palm. "I gestured for you guys to follow me, but nobody did! You were too busy acting weird!"

"Whatever." His exasperated expression cooled into one of indifference. "We don't have time for this. Just hurry up and find that key so we can get the documents."

She rolled her eyes, slamming the book back into the shelf just as the door creaked open.

"Naruko, Sasuke…" Sakura's voice was low, controlled, albeit panic dripped from every word. "Someone's coming."

Naruko's heart leaped into her throat, and she frantically searched the shelves for _Kushikaze's Guide to Gardening_ \- where the key laid expertly hidden in the earliest pages of chapter five. With panic hammering her heart against her ribs, she cleared one shelf before moving onto the next. Still no signs of the book. It wasn't until she reached the last shelf that she finally found it. She flipped through the pages, her heartbeat accelerating the instant she descried the key.

"Go, Sakura. You need to get out of here." Sasuke said, the hint of panic tinging his voice betraying his calm expression.

Naruko's stomach dropped. If Sasuke was worried, then this obviously wasn't a good situation to be in. Sakura managed one last worried look before closing the door, and footsteps were heard retreating before growing louder, closer.

They were out of time.

"Hurry up!" Sasuke hissed from across the room.

"I'm trying!" Naruko shakily grabbed the key before shoving the book back onto the shelf and rushing over to Sasuke. He took the key from her, unlocking the vault just as the doorknob began to turn.

Everything slowed down as he turned the knob, the vault giving a satisfying click as it opened. She glanced over her shoulder. No one had entered the room yet, but as the door slowly creaked open disquiet gnawed at her stomach nauseatingly. Sasuke's arm wrapped around her waist, pulling into the dark room with him.

She heard something jangle on the hardwood floor outside of the vault just as the door closed, but she was too distracted by the arm wrapped securely around her waist to question what had caused it.

As warmth crawled on her cheeks, she was relieved the room was pitch black; however, any relief she felt vanished as Sasuke pulled away with an irritated sigh.

"I dropped the key."

She blinked, taking a moment to let his words sink.

 _He dropped the key?_

It was like a slap to the face when she finally realized they were trapped. She was stuck in this small, hot and dark room with the worst person. She opened her mouth to berate him, but he clamped a hand over it before she could.

Sasuke's hand was strangely cold.

She didn't have time to question it, not when the distance between them, at that moment, became nonexistent. She stepped backward to put more space between them, but he moved closer until she was up against the wall, wide-eyed and flustered.

"Don't say anything." He whispered, narrowing his eyes. "We'll find the Zabuza and Haku's documents and wait for Sakura to get us in the morning, alright?"

Naruko nodded, though something told her this was going to be one of the longest nights of her life.


End file.
